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Chicken breed APA Recognized Bantam

Silkie

Soft-feathered bantam beloved for intense broodiness, black skin, and exceptionally family-friendly nature.

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Variety gallery

This breed uses variety images instead of one shared breed thumbnail.

Primary use

Ornamental / broody

Eggs

80-120 eggs/year

Egg color

Cream

Broodiness

Very high

Notable traits

Silkied plumage
Walnut comb
Crest
Feathered feet
Five toes
Black skin
And exceptional broody foster ability.

Use in a cross

Use this breed as a sire or dam in the public cross predictor.

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Varieties

Silkie varieties

Variety-specific images keep the library accurate when one breed name covers several different appearances.

Variety image pending

Bearded Black

Color: Solid black

Bearded Black Silkie variety with solid black silkied plumage and a full beard beneath the crest.

Traits: Silkied plumage, beard and muffs, walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, five toes, and black skin.

Variety image pending

Non-Bearded Black

Color: solid black plumage with green sheen

Non-Bearded Black Silkie variety with solid black plumage with green sheen while preserving the parent breed's distinctive silkied bantam type with walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and broody temperament.

Traits: Emphasize solid black plumage with green sheen. Preserve silkied bantam type with walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and broody temperament. Keep rooster and hen sex differences appropriate for this variety instead of reverting to a generic chicken.

Variety image pending

Bearded Blue

Color: even blue-gray plumage

Bearded Blue Silkie variety with even blue-gray plumage while preserving the parent breed's distinctive silkied bantam type with walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and broody temperament.

Traits: Emphasize even blue-gray plumage. Preserve silkied bantam type with walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and broody temperament. Keep rooster and hen sex differences appropriate for this variety instead of reverting to a generic chicken.

Variety image pending

Non-Bearded Blue

Color: even blue-gray plumage

Non-Bearded Blue Silkie variety with even blue-gray plumage while preserving the parent breed's distinctive silkied bantam type with walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and broody temperament.

Variety image pending

Bearded Buff

Color: Warm buff

Bearded Buff Silkie variety with warm buff silkied plumage and a full beard.

Traits: Silkied plumage, beard and muffs, walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and buff coloring.

Variety image pending

Non-Bearded Buff

Color: warm buff plumage

Non-Bearded Buff Silkie variety with warm buff plumage while preserving the parent breed's distinctive silkied bantam type with walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and broody temperament.

Traits: Emphasize warm buff plumage. Preserve silkied bantam type with walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and broody temperament. Keep rooster and hen sex differences appropriate for this variety instead of reverting to a generic chicken.

Variety image pending

Bearded Gray

Color: soft gray plumage

Bearded Gray Silkie variety with soft gray plumage while preserving the parent breed's distinctive silkied bantam type with walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and broody temperament.

Traits: Emphasize soft gray plumage. Preserve silkied bantam type with walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and broody temperament. Keep rooster and hen sex differences appropriate for this variety instead of reverting to a generic chicken.

Variety image pending

Non-Bearded Gray

Color: soft gray plumage

Non-Bearded Gray Silkie variety with soft gray plumage while preserving the parent breed's distinctive silkied bantam type with walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and broody temperament.

Variety image pending

Bearded Partridge

Color: red-black rooster color and brown partridge hen patterning

Bearded Partridge Silkie variety with red-black rooster color and brown partridge hen patterning while preserving the parent breed's distinctive silkied bantam type with walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and broody temperament.

Traits: Emphasize red-black rooster color and brown partridge hen patterning. Preserve silkied bantam type with walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and broody temperament. Keep rooster and hen sex differences appropriate for this variety instead of reverting to a generic chicken.

Variety image pending

Non-Bearded Partridge

Color: red-black rooster color and brown partridge hen patterning

Non-Bearded Partridge Silkie variety with red-black rooster color and brown partridge hen patterning while preserving the parent breed's distinctive silkied bantam type with walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and broody temperament.

Variety image pending

Bearded Self Blue

Color: soft lavender/self-blue plumage

Bearded Self Blue Silkie variety with soft lavender/self-blue plumage while preserving the parent breed's distinctive silkied bantam type with walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and broody temperament.

Traits: Emphasize soft lavender/self-blue plumage. Preserve silkied bantam type with walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and broody temperament. Keep rooster and hen sex differences appropriate for this variety instead of reverting to a generic chicken.

Variety image pending

Non-Bearded Self Blue

Color: soft lavender/self-blue plumage

Non-Bearded Self Blue Silkie variety with soft lavender/self-blue plumage while preserving the parent breed's distinctive silkied bantam type with walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and broody temperament.

Variety image pending

Bearded White

Color: Clean white

Bearded White Silkie variety with clean white silkied plumage, beard, and crest.

Traits: Silkied plumage, beard and muffs, walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and white coloring.

Variety image pending

Non-Bearded White

Color: clean white plumage

Non-Bearded White Silkie variety with clean white plumage while preserving the parent breed's distinctive silkied bantam type with walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and broody temperament.

Traits: Emphasize clean white plumage. Preserve silkied bantam type with walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and broody temperament. Keep rooster and hen sex differences appropriate for this variety instead of reverting to a generic chicken.

Variety image pending

Splash

Color: pale blue-white plumage with darker splash markings

Splash Silkie variety with pale blue-white plumage with darker splash markings while preserving the parent breed's distinctive silkied bantam type with walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and broody temperament.

Traits: Emphasize pale blue-white plumage with darker splash markings. Preserve silkied bantam type with walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and broody temperament. Keep rooster and hen sex differences appropriate for this variety instead of reverting to a generic chicken.

Variety image pending

Paint

Color: White with irregular black patches

Paint Silkie variety with a white base color broken by irregular black patches.

Traits: Silkied plumage, walnut comb, crest, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and paint-pattern contrast.

Quick stat summary

Weights: Hen 2.00 lb | Rooster 2.50 lb

APA status: APA recognized breed

Sexing traits: None noted

Comb type: Walnut

Egg size: Small

Origin: China

Planning notes

Genetics and sexing notes

Auto-sexing: None recorded for purebred chicks.

Sex-linked: None recorded.

Temperament: Very docile. Friendliness is generally listed as Very high. Activity level is generally Low.

Rooster handling: Roosters are often manageable when well handled, but individual selection still matters. Do not keep aggressive males just because they match the breed type.

Reference profile

Breed depth notes

Extra breed details used for identification, breed-library accuracy, cross prediction, and better image prompts.

History and standard notes

History: Ancient Asian ornamental bantam famous for silkied feathers, black skin, five toes, crest, feathered feet, and strong broodiness. In the RanchOps library, Silkie is tracked as a ornamental / broody breed with roots tied to China. Its cream egg profile, body type, and temperament notes help separate it from similar-looking breeds in flock records and cross predictions. For visual identification, focus on Small rounded bantam body with silkied plumage, crest, feathered feet, black skin, and five toes. Its carriage is best described as low, soft, docile, rounded, and ornamental.

APA: Recognized as a bantam breed in standard exhibition contexts; bearded and non-bearded varieties are important.

Type and structure

Large fowl: Silkies are primarily treated as bantams in many standards, though large-fowl-type Silkies exist in some regions.
Bantam: Recognized bantam breed with several accepted color varieties.
Earlobes: Turquoise blue earlobes
Body type: Small rounded bantam body with silkied plumage, crest, feathered feet, black skin, and five toes
Carriage: Low, soft, docile, rounded, and ornamental

Visual identification

Rooster

Roosters should show walnut comb, crest, silkied plumage, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and variety-correct color.

Hen

Hens should look small, rounded, fluffy, crested, feather-footed, black-skinned, and very soft-feathered.

Chicks

Silkie chicks are fluffy and can show dark skin and extra toes early; final beard/crest quality develops with age.

Common confusions

Can be confused with showgirl/naked-neck Silkies or other crested bantams. True Silkie type requires silkied feathering, black skin, five toes, and feathered feet.

Image guidance

Always preserve silkied feather texture, crest, walnut comb, feathered feet, five toes, black skin, and small rounded body.

Cross predictor notes

Silkie crosses may pass black skin, crest, feathered feet, five toes, walnut/comb influence, broodiness, and silkied feathering depending on genetics.

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